EasyJet slashes marketing spend but 'increases effectiveness'

EasyJet has cut its marketing budget by 15% over the past two years in the face of rising fuel costs, its chief executive has revealed.

Airline boss Carolyn McCall made the revelation at the Advertising Association's Lead 2013 summit today, where she also unveiled plans to launch a "customer charter" for the first time in the airline's history.

Addressing the 300-strong audience of marketing and media professionals, McCall made the case for using brand-building to achieve business success, by reflecting on the marketing "relaunch" which rolled out over the past two years.

McCall said: "We have reduced our budget by 15%, but actually we have been much, much more effective. We still spend a lot of money, over £50m on advertising – it's a very significant spend for us."

"Most importantly for me, [consideration] has grown in both France and Italy. One in five consumers in those markets considers easyJet to be their first choice airline." A year ago, the equivalent figure was one in 10, McCall added.

McCall, who joined the budget carrier in July 2010, also revealed that easyJet plans to unveil a "customer charter" to its "passengers and potential passengers" in the summer.

She said the pledges contained in the charter had been shaped through a comprehensive set of focus groups with easyJet staff from every part of the business.

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